So, are you(all) implying that just because they (supposedly) sound better than their competition they are a better value??? That doesn't make sense.

Since the 1plus2's are priced in the same (high) tier as their competition they cannot be a "great value", even if they are THE best. If they were a "great value" they would be the best IEM at a price significantly LESS than the competition NOT the same price.

BTW - I would love to listen to the 1plus2...and have asked Gavin about getting a listen, if possible...

Why don't you go for IEMs that are around 100 bucks? They are considered "great value" IEMs.

I'll rate 1+2 and other high priced IEMs for 0 stars if comparing to those cheaper ones.

It has less sibilant on my rig now after I got good match with op-amps. But for certain tracks, it is still noticeable although not as annoying as before.

Mine probably has about 70+hours or so (I do not count the hours on purpose), and I'll post further impression after a complete run-in.

Glad that you found a way to equalize the your issue. For me, using the DX100, CLAS -dB/Rx Mk3, & Go-DAP which didn't cut out for me. The amp that came the closest to compromise was the RSA SR-71B. But that had issues of its own.

It was when I swapped the silver cable with the Beat Audio Cronus & cheap UM cable did I isolate my problem. As such the keen-ness on the silver/gold cable. That way I'm not tied to an amp or DAP setup.

No? Then how is $1275 a "great value"? The 1plus2 is firmly in the very upper end of IEM's...with the AKG 3003 and the FitEar 334. So, how does it "add some serious competition to the market" and "help the (value conscious) consumer"???

It would be a fair statement if it was significantly LE$$ than the top tier but unfortunately it is not...

In comparison to those other IEMs and even more pricier ones the 1Plus2s are indeed a good value. It seems like you aren't really in the market for such a purchase burtomr?

- another friend had a listen to it yesterday (230 hr mark) and felt although it sounded nice, it didn't "wow" him.

In short, as we've all always known, there is no IEM that will be a 100% to all audiophiles. You just have to try yourself, and evaluate your investment principles.

I agree on this I was also a person who wasn't wowed by this IEM initially. It really took me some time to accustom myself to the sound. One reason why I tend to take most impressions with such short listening sessions from others with a grain of salt. Even my own. Because to be fair you need time to settle down with the gear to really get to know it and in that you can really find yourself surprised in the end. At first I thought my older pair was better. But with usage and burn in I was clearly wrong... And glad that I was. But if I was to have judged them from a few minutes of listening my impressions would not be nearly as good. The same goes for the AKG3003. But that is not to say someone else wouldn't be able to gauge their full potential even sooner. Because others clearly have. Just depends on the person and their preferences ultimately.

Why don't you go for IEMs that are around 100 bucks? They are considered "great value" IEMs.

I'll rate 1+2 and other high priced IEMs for 0 stars if comparing to those cheaper ones.

Never expect there would be a "great value" on the high-end range.

In comparison to its competition it indeed is a greatl value when compared to 334, AKG3003 and even other full blown custom IEMs. Owners have posted such view points already and it is a matter of time when others will follow suite in regards to even other custom IEMs as well. There are others who have also confirmed these findings with various customs and they have not posted such views (yet). So food for thought guys...

Lol...@ 40 being a volume where hearing maybe damaged...I don't even go below 40 on my 26ohm 1+2...!!! Lee, have you measured dB at 40+...? How do know these are "dangerous" volumes...? Any objective measurements..?

I'm not sure how to go about testing it but I already feel that 40+ is above 90dBs in volume easily. That would be even more volume than my Fuze at max volume (without the volume safety feature) which is well above ear damaging levels.

My view is that each individual has their own way of listening & distinguishing what's right for them & what's not.

For myself personally, at initial listen, the product has got to have enough to grab my attention to even warrant more of my time. Thereafter once it's grabbed my attention I'd spend more time with it to evaluate it.

On the other side of the time, spending "a lot" of time with the product also means you get used to it. So to me, even then it's subjective.

Most of the head-fiers are quite level headed & roughly know what kind of signature they like upfront.

The 1Plus2 obviously made a decent enough impression on me to want to go back to listen to it again at the stores. Something like the Westone 4's didn't appeal to me upfront.

Now listeners tastes do change over time too. The XBA-3 didn't appeal to me last year but since the 334, I've learnt to appreciate the XBA-30 more. That's not me intially disliking then learning to like something that's good, but it's my sonic preferences had changed (bored of old signatures? Dunno!!) that I may revisit something I didn't appreciate before.

You're still not getting the point. Everyone has different opinions on what 'value' means to them. I always say this, and I will say it again: it's all relative. You cannot just put a 'value' on something and have everyone in this world agree with you. Some people think beats are great value, we disagree. Some people think Apple products are great value, considering its perks, and many disagree. Do you see my point now? We're not talking about value in terms of pricing, but in terms of its performance and how much value it gives to us as audiophiles. You're taking everything way too literally; you'd make a great accountant but a poor economist. You're not considering other aspects of the equation when you say 'value.' If I personally believe I would dish out the money any day for a certain gear, that means it holds value to me; this can also apply to those with loaded wallets and SR009s, if they truly believe the SR009s are completely worth purchasing, whether they prize the sound, or it just satisfies their desires to have one of the most expensive headphones, then it holds value, maybe great value, to them.

Personally, I find they hold pretty great value, even in terms of pure performance, just because all the cIEMs and uIEMs I've come across pretty much does not compare, and I've dished out over $1300 for my ES5, which I promptly sold after I listened to the 1Plus2.

tl;dr - The world 'value' reaches much farther than just pricing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by burtomr

@Lee730 and now Girls Gen...lol

So, are you(all) implying that just because they (supposedly) sound better than their competition they are a better value??? That doesn't make sense.

Since the 1plus2's are priced in the same (high) tier as their competition they cannot be a "great value", even if they are THE best. If they were a "great value" they would be the best IEM at a price significantly LESS than the competition NOT the same price.

BTW - I would love to listen to the 1plus2...and have asked Gavin about getting a listen, if possible...

I'm not sure how to go about testing it but I already feel that 40+ is above 90dBs in volume easily. That would be even more volume than my Fuze at max volume (without the volume safety feature) which is well above ear damaging levels.

Gavin was meeting a customer of his yesterday to deliver his 1+2 and T1 amp personally, and they very kindly invited me to come along. I got the chance to audition the 1+2, the FitEar ToGo 334, the Sennheiser IE 800, and a universal fit version of the UE 18 Pro. It was a very informative afternoon of coffee and playing with gear that I won't be able to afford for a (long) while.

I make no excuses about my preferred sound signature: I am an Etymotic fan through and through and my 2 pairs of ER4's get more use than anything else in my humble collection. Sure, I wouldn't mind having a tad more weight in the lower frequencies or a bigger sound stage, but I stick with them because I value "transparency" over everything else. I could never really get into the W4 because it felt veiled to me, for example.

Of the high end IEMs I tried yesterday, I have to say that the 1+2 appealed to me the most. I think Tralucent might have solved the whole "how many bores should we put in the nozzle" conundrum by sticking the TWFK in the tip itself. It just sounded very clear and and articulate to me - everything from top to bottom. While the IE 800 flat out did not impress me, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the 1+2 trumps the 334 or the UE 18 Pro completely. I can appreciate why these IEMs get the glowing reviews that they do. All I can say is that for my personal listening preferences, the 1+2 is right up my alley.

As for the ensuing debate about value, I reckon the 1+2 is a more than viable competitor in its price range considering its build quality, appearance and most importantly, sound. Make of that what you will though, because they are all priced beyond my personal financial means. I am definitely not going to question the value of something solely because I can't afford it though.

Just to put things into perspective, the customer who was buying the 1+2 and T1 (I only met him yesterday and I am not sure if it is okay for me blow his internet anonymity) liked what he heard so much that he asked Gavin to sell him a second pair of 1+2s because he bought a silver cable and a gold + silver cable and he didn't want to switch cables all the time for fear of damaging the cable sockets. In a move of poor salesmanship or good after sales service, depending on how you look at it, Gavin talked him out of buying a second pair and promised to take care of it should he have any problems cable sockets. The 1+2 was clearly great value to this man.

And to this mysterious customer, please make an account and post your thoughts already! I know you are reading this thread. You have way too much nice equipment and disposable income to remain a Head Fi lurker

Is it possible your catalogue has a tag based gain max'd out or something...?

Your sense of volume and the rwak100 level just doesn't jive compared to mine...?!?

My point still stands. Listening at those volumes is indeed above 85dB. If you got an iphone or maybe even android device give "etymotic awareness" program (free) a whirl. It'll tell you what you need to know. I just tested it out on my iphone and indeed at 40 volume it is hitting around 100 dB on the 1Plus2! Slightly under it. Raise it up to 45 volume and it's going over 100 dB! (RWA AK100 and Tralucent 1plus2 IEMS). At around 31 it is still around 85 dB sometimes goes over it. But settles around 81 dB average. Still 31 is a bit loud for me but I'd be able to listen to it comfortably for a little while anyways. Listening at around 27 which would be my ideal listening level in terms of louder listening volumes, maxes out depending on track around 85dB but stay generally around 75 to 80 dB. Listening at 21.5 (which is my ideal general listening volume) stays around 70dB average and goes under that.

Listening to the Studio V on volume 6 averages around 75dB and spikes at times to 85 db. I generally listen at volume 5 on the Studio V which is slightly less. My point is listening at such levels (that is 85 and above) will damage your hearing in the long run if the damage hasn't been done already.... I found the information out from Planx :). Gotta love Planx :P.

If you have an iPhone, download the free app Awareness! from Etymotic. You can easily measure your dB by placing the IEM on the mic on the iPhone. I can say it's pretty accurate and my volume ranges from 80-85dB. 90 at most when the song gets a bit chaotic in terms of heavy rock or bass.